Fear and Smear Ads/Kerry in Vietnam?

[TehGuy]

So...I've been hearing a lot about John Kerry and Vietnam in the news lately along with both sides (Democrats and Republicans) complaining about all the smear ads each puts up against one another. John Kerry's been hit pretty hard by the tapes from congress from like...1972 or whatever where he said he participated in things like burning down villages as was commanded by higher officers. It gets a little more gruesome than just that, but I think a lot of people have heard about it.

At the same time, Kerry is telling the Republicans that they are using "fear and smear tactics". To me, it seems like both sides are using the same methods of bringing each other down.

So, what does everyone think about

a) Kerry and his service in vietnam? Would you consider that a significant deal for someone running for president, and does it sway you to one side or the other? Just what in general do you think about that.

b) What do you think about these smear tactics that Kerry accuses the republicans of? Do you think the Democrats are responsible for the exact same types of things or not? And do you even care about that?

I personally don't know what to think about the Vietnam things yet. I've still got some thinking to do about if it even really matters. For the smear things, I think both parties are responsible for the same tactics, and it's not really getting too far. I guess I don't get to hear a lot of the commercials going out seeing as how I'm in Arkansas, but oh well.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/24/kerry/index.html <--link to something that somewhat pertains to all of this...

 

[loggerheads]

I think you gotta give it to the Bush campaign(/whichever guy it is that donates x millions to the Bush campaign and also to the "veterans for truth" or whoever it is making the adverts), just because it seems they've totally destroyed Kerry on this.
Having said that I'm not 100% sure how, the "He lied about his xth purple heart" stuff all seems a bit vague. While I'm not sure just how great John Kerry was in Vietnam I remain pretty convinced his soldiering credentials stack up more than dubya's.
Then there's the stuff about him "betraying" various people with what he said to Congress. I don't pretend to know the exact ins and outs of what he said, but anyone who thinks that American soldiers didn't do some pretty bad things in Vietnam is either an idiot, or has access to evidence that the rest of the world doesn't.
As to the extent it all really matters, Kerry wanted it to be an issue of manhood, a way of showing that he was capable of handling the "war on terror" and blaa blaa blaa that apparently obsesses so much of America, but has now become an issue of his integrity, of whether or not he tells the truth.
As to the extent that it matters, it really shouldn't be anything much more than a sideshow, but then politics has never been about policies.

 

[Conscript]

Well I find it hypocritical for Kerry trying to shut down the vets and have their book banned, while at the same time being hush about MoveOn.org and George Soros who he has benefitted from to the tune of $60+ million dollars.

It's also OKAY to question Bush's National Guard service and what he did there, and demand he release all his records, yet its not okay to question Kerry's vietnam service and what he did there and for him to release all of HIS records?

Looks like the lefties can dish it out, but they can't take it.

They make a big deal out of Perry from Texas donating $150,000 to the Vets, yet they overlook Soros $15 million (10 times more, yet he escapes all critics).

If that's not censorship or an attack on free speech, I don't know what is. Could you imagine if George W. Bush wanted to force Michael Moore to stop showing his movie or tried to prevent Richard Clarke from releasing his book? Why, there'd be protests in the streets!

John Kerry made the mistake of building his campaign on his service. Read any news story about Kerry from the last 5 months and you will nearly always see a mention of his medals or of his combat experience in Vietnam. He uses it in all his speeches at all his campaign stops. He made his DNC Convention address center around Vietnam.

This explains why he is so desperate to make this go away. This is the ONLY thing he has going for him. He can't talk about his record of tax increases and budget cuts, his attendance record of missing every public intelligence committee hearing since 9/11 (and 70%+ of them from before 9/11), so he talks about Vietnam. If they take Vietnam away from him, he's finished.

As far as what Kerry said in his testimony and ont he Dick Caveat show, I had this saved somewhere, as soon as I dig it up I will post it.

 

[Robert]

You know, really, I'm sick and tired of hearing what so and so did in their younger years. I'm glad Kerry went to war, forget the fact he has some medals, but he went to war. Bush didn't, neither did Clinton, ok we've covered this.

What will they do if they are elected PRESIDENT?! How does Bush wearing Fake medals or Kerry having real medals make them a better person? I want to know what they will do as President, in which case, Bush will Not do what I want him to do (lift the stem cell ban, approve same sex marriage), therefore, I'm voting for Kerry.

 

[Conscript]

I'm sick and tired of hearing what so and so did in their younger years.

Well then I am sure you are sick of Kerry bringing it up. It's not like right wing attack dogs combed through Kerry's record and said "aha, we can attack him on Vietnam!". It was Kerry who centered his entire campaign around his 4 months in vietnam. If he made his service in Vietnam the sole reason why he should be and why he is qualified to be President, certainly we should examine what really happened there.

What will they do if they are elected PRESIDENT?! How does Bush wearing Fake medals or Kerry having real medals make them a better person?

Well tell Kerry to get off of Vietnam and accusing the president of smears and tell him to get back on the issues. I'd love to discuss how Kerry wants to raise my taxes and hand over American national defense to Kofi Annan.

And for once can we discuss something that is soley a Kerry issue (Vietnam medals and his service) without bringing up Bush?

It seems that the favorite rebuttal for many people is to start talking about Bush, well this isn't about him, so let's stick to Kerry.

 

[Robert]

Well then I am sure you are sick of Kerry bringing it up. It's not like right wing attack dogs combed through Kerry's record and said "aha, we can attack him on Vietnam!". It was Kerry who centered his entire campaign around his 4 months in vietnam. If he made his service in Vietnam the sole reason why he should be and why he is qualified to be President, certainly we should examine what really happened there.



Well tell Kerry to get off of Vietnam and accusing the president of smears and tell him to get back on the issues. I'd love to discuss how Kerry wants to raise my taxes and hand over American national defense to Kofi Annan.

And for once can we discuss something that is soley a Kerry issue (Vietnam medals and his service) without bringing up Bush?

It seems that the favorite rebuttal for many people is to start talking about Bush, well this isn't about him, so let's stick to Kerry.

First, I wasn't referring to the right side, I meant EVERYONE. News, paper, the homeless guy down the street.

Second, I can bring up Bush anytime I want. If we speak about Kerry we have to talk about Bush, they are a pair of eggs in a basket.

 

[Curtis H.]

Conscript pretty much said what I would have pointed out TehGuy. Obviously the libs want to have it both ways. Bush bashing and attacks are fine (by Kerry himself and 527's) but at the same time, Kerry bashing is not acceptable from any group for any reason. Kerry is simply a whining empty suit who even many dems ask "couldn't we come up with anybody better than Kerry?"

Being Kerry created the problems he is having with the Swifties in hopes to gain deperately needed votes, Americans now deserve to know the truth. Fortunately, the truth is out there … in John Kerry’s military records. We can settle this controversy once and for all by opening those files. All John Kerry needs to do is execute Standard Form 180.

Therefore, I ask John Kerry to execute Standard Form 180 and unleash the truth!